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Tag Archives: Rodeo King

I went to Masbate to attend the National Rodeo Finals for the second time, this time making sure I witness the whole thing – – – from the Grand Parade to the Awards Night.

THE GRAND PARADE: April 8
The Grand Parade officially ushers the opening of the competition, starting with the participants from all over the Philippines and the rodeo officials. The parade ended at the Rodeo Arena where the opening ceremonies were held as soon as all the participants, officials, and guests were in the arena.

student and professional teams joined the parade

cowboy priest, Father Mark Sese

guest of honor, Albay Governor Joey Salceda

El Presidente, Judge Manuel Sese

Libuna team, with Rodeo King Kenneth Ramunal

Magayon Dancers brought in by Governor Joey Salceda from Albay

Rodeo Masbateno official Maloli Espinosa

whip cracking demo on the road while on parade

my favorite Rodeo 2014 team, Benguet State University

CATTLE DRIVE
Next day, April 9, was the Cattle Drive. Some 140 heads of cattle were released from the city center , tru the streets of Masbate, to the Rodeo Arena. Cowboys on their horses herded the cattle, with some going astray. The events organizers have teams of cowboys assigned to handle cattle that will stray from the herd.

140 heads of cattle at the city center, prior to the cattle drive

real-life cowboys herding the cattle thru the city streets

THE EVENTS

The events consisted of Penning (herding assigned cattle to the pen within 5 minutes), carambola (2 person or 4 person carambola) where cowboys put down a cow and tie them up, Rustling from Horseback, rustling on foot, lassoing, and bullriding.

Bull riding is the most exciting. Cowboys need only to ride the bull for 8 seconds to qualify. This one obviously didn’t make it, and was lucky he was not harmed

2-person carambola. Even a rodeo official escapes from a rampaging bull by climbing the fence

this event is called CASTING DOWN. The cattle must be roped in by the head and by the diaphragm, and must be felled and tied down

I liked this event last year and decided to support the rodeo this year

I took this photo on day one, and this guy covering his face would turn out to be the Rodeo King, student division

This event called PENNING was introduced only this year. Cowboys need to pen in 2 cows, selected at random. No other cow has to be in the pen to qualify and, if an unwanted cow joins, it must be extricated or else the team loses

THE PARTICIPATING TEAMS

Teams from various schools offering animal husbandry or veterinary medicine from all over the country participated. From as far north as Benguet, to the Visayas and Mindanao. They were joined by professional players, real life cowboys working in ranches.

TAKING CARE OF ANIMALS AND MEN

the cattle were taken care of and well fed throughout the event

a medical team is always on standy

THE AWARDS NIGHT

Awarding of individual and team prizes happened on a Saturday night, April 12, 2014.

This season roved to be an upset. The perrennial Rodeo King, Kenneth was injured early on, and was prevented by doctors from further competitions. The Rodeo King and Queen, student division, went to Benguet State University and to the Central Mindanao University players, respectively. Perrennial team champion Xavier University from Cagayan de Oro was elevated to the Hall of Fame, and this years champion was my favorite Benguet State University.

The awarding was preceded by a beautiful ceremony with candles held by everyone lit one by one, and the ritual seemed magical. When all the candles were lit, the bonfire was lit ablaze. Everyone feasted on catered dinner and a roast calf at the center of the arena. There were fireworks at the start, and beer and dancing at the end.

Fireworks started the awards ceremonies

the barkers during the events were also the night’s emcees

The president of Rodeo Masbateno, Inc was there – – Judge Manuel Sese

the participants and guests

photographers and TV networks covered the event from start to finish

live cowboy music

(Volunteer Rodeo Officials of Masbate) in a celebratory mood

the traditional cowboy cigar, lit to mark the rodeo’s success

The night was capped by merry making – – drinks and line dancing

Next year’s rodeo is scheduled April 14-18, 2015. I will again be there.

After attending most festivals in the country (Sinulog, Masskara, Dinagyang, Panagbenga, Kadayawan etc) I can say without fear of contradiction that the Rodeo Festival is the single most exciting, most action-packed festival in the Philippines. Which festival does one go to where sometimes the animals are in control of men?

CATTLE DRIVE

I arrived on the morning when the most exciting of the rodeo events was going to happen – – the Cattle Drive. I liken it to a FUN RUN except that it is cattle that will be running from the city center to the Rodeo Arena about 2 kilometers away. Some have likened it to RUNNING OF THE BULLS, thinking of Pamplona, Spain.

nearly a hundred cattle at the city center, ready for the cattle drive

It is the most exciting because of its unpredictability. Imagine some of the nearly 100 cattle going wayward. In the past, the promoters told me that there have been motorbikes parked on the roadside that were damaged. learning form the past, the organizers have sealed off intersections, barricading them with pick-up trucks or other material.

The organizers have cowboys mounted on horses to herd the flock. There are also cowhands (cowboys and cowgirls) stationed in many points to handle cattle that may stray.

UNPREDICTABILITY: STRAY CATTLE
Still, there were at least 3 that went astray. I captured two of them in sequences as I was moving around to cover the event.
The first was about a cow that strayed and went to a SMART loading station, moving on to the BEAUTIFICATION project signage. The cowboys handled the stray cow efficiently.

The second stray cattle I was able to photograph from a moving Red Cross van which I hitched on (I was at the bed).

RODEO ARENA

Masbate is proud to have the only permanent structure in the country built purposely for rodeo. It has bull pens, sturdy metal fences to separate the players and the bull from the gallery, a platform for the organizers and the barkers (announcers are called barkers in rodeo shows), and a full stage from where distinguished visitors watch the games.

Arena: bleachers on three sides

There are also paramedics from the Red Cross around the arena, ever alert if and when a player gets hurt, ready with their stretchers. A clinic is manned right in the complex. well done.

Medical Clinic at the arena

NATIONWIDE PARTICIPATION

The National Rodeo Finals is participated in by professionals and Agriculture students from all over the country – – as far north as Benguet and as far down south as Buiodnon and Cagayan de Oro.

While there are regional competitions, Masbate is the default venue for the national finals. The National Rodeo Director, rancher Leo Gozum, also hails from Masbate.

rightmost is Leo Gozum of Masbate, also the National Rodeo Director

Judge Sese, president of the Masbate Ranchers’ Assn (on leave)

THE EVENTS

The events are heart stopping, action packed, so unpredictable, and just so different from what one sees – – – the nearest thing to it is watching a Western-style movie. And oh, the organizers left no stone unturned – – – the music from the sound system is 100% Western-style. Imagine – – – bulls, cows, and cowboys on a dusty arena, with western-style music, with organizers also in full cowboy costume, with whips and lassoes, boots and checkered shirts, cowboy hats – – – the works. There were 2-person carambolas, lassoing, 4-person carambolas, bull-riding, bull whipping, load carrying etc.

Hats off !

grab the cattle by the legs and by the tail to get it down

bull riding

rider falls and it has not been 8 seconds

AWARDING CEREMONIES OVER BONFIRE

after summoning the spirits from the 4 corners of the earth, viola, the bonfire was lit

The even ended with a cowboy-style bonfire in the awards ceremonies where trophies designed from bull bells were awarded to the winners. And the main fare was roast calves- – two of them.

one of two roast calves before dinner was served

Acting President of the Ranchers’ Assn, Mr Abelita

one set of winners pose with the organizers

RODEO SCHEDULE 2014: Mark your calendars !

I shall return next year. The rodeo schedule in 2014, as provided by National Rodeo Director Leo Gozum is “the national finals is April 8 to 12, 2014. Grand parade of the rodeo national finals April 8. Cattle Drive April 9. Three (3) major barn parties April 8, April 9, and April 12.”

How to get there:

PAL Express flies propeller planes daily to Masbate. Flights leave at 5:05 am, just in time to arrive in the morning to catch the Day 1 event. Zest Air flies at about the same schedule as PAL Express, with the 2 flights leaving just 5 minutes apart.